Taiwanese artists are set to light up France with music next year when they embark on a mission to promote Taiwanese music at Marche International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale (MIDEM), a music trade fair in France that is billed as the world’s largest.
Pop diva A-Lin (黃麗玲), singer-songwriter Xiaoyu (小宇), pop-rock singer Shin (信) and the a cappella singing group O-Kai Singers (歐開合唱團) will perform their popular hits at a Taiwan Night concert in Paris on Jan. 30, GCA Entertainment Co said.
They are to perform at a similar concert at the music fair in Cannes on Feb. 1, the company said, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture to organize the concerts.
The Taiwan Night concerts are part of the government’s efforts to promote Taiwanese music at MIDEM, which attracts thousands of musicians, producers and managers each year.
Wang Hsi-chuan, co-producer of the O-Kai Singers’ award-winning debut album, said the group would prepare a program of a cappella music, traditional Aboriginal tunes and French folk songs.
The O-Kai Singers won the prestigious Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards in the US earlier this year for their album O-Kai A Cappella.
Shin, known for his wide vocal range, said he hoped to interact with musicians from different countries in France and to arouse their interest in Taiwan.
“That is what we as musicians can do,” he said.
Chang Chung-jen (張崇仁), head of the ministry’s Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development, called MIDEM “the best venue” for introducing Taiwanese musicians to the world.
The organizer of MIDEM won the Taiwan-France Cultural Award this year, he said.
It is the 19th year for Taiwan to participate in the annual trade fair, which will take place from Feb. 1 to Feb. 4. In addition to setting up exhibition booths, the government has been sending Taiwanese entertainers to give live performances at the fair in recent years.
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